In the series finale, the Gary SouthShore RailCats (19-24) exploded for eight runs in the eighth frame to beat the Winnipeg Goldeyes (18-23) in a 13-3 Independence Day thrashing at the Steel Yard in Gary, Indiana.
In the 13-run outing, the RailCats set a season-high in both win margin and runs scored as every RailCats starter crossed the plate at least once.
RailCats starter Jack Alkire took the win and went six innings on the bump with three runs, one of which was earned, a walk and seven strikeouts.
With two down in the first, Zach Welz cracked a double that would one-hop the left-field wall to get the ball rolling. Daniel Lingua kept the rally alive with an RBI triple to put the ‘Cats on the board, and came around to score on an Alec Olund single.
Lingua recorded a 2-for-4 day with two RBI at the plate in his fifth multi-hit effort in the last eight games.
Winnipeg would plate two in the next half-inning to knot things up at two-a-piece, but the bats would go quiet after frame two.
In the second, the RailCats loaded the bases with nobody out and forced the Goldeyes into their bullpen before adding a pair more to make it 4-2 ‘Cats.
The loss went to Goldeyes starter Greg Harris who threw an inning, allowing four runs on five hits with two walks and a strikeout.
Tyler Van Marter doubled in another in the fifth and Gary SouthShore held the lead the rest of the way, allowing just one more run to score on a Kevin Lachance solo blast in the seventh.
With five outs remaining, Tasker Strobel took over in the eighth to record a long save. Little did he know some run support was on the way.
For the third time this season, the RailCats would plate eight runs in an inning as the lead ballooned up to 13-3 heading into the ninth. Despite less than sharp outings from both Goldeyes’ relievers Daniel Kubiak and Jake Polancic who combined for 0.1 innings on the mound and eight collective runs, neither would suffer the loss.
Strobel would go on to earn a five-out save, regardless of the RailCats 10-run lead because he entered the game in a save opportunity in the eighth.
The Gary SouthShore RailCats will host the Chicago Dogs for a three-game set starting tomorrow, July 5 at 7:10 p.m. at the Steel Yard in Gary, Indiana.